Review: EDINBURGH 2024: EDDY HARE: THIS ONE'S ON ME, Pleasance Courtyard

“You can read every book about becoming an uncle, but you’ll never be ready”

Eddy Hare: This One’s On Me begins on the topic of male pattern baldness, with Hare explaining that he first had a bald spot at the age of twenty, promising to reveal it to us by the end of the show, which had already been requested by one eager audience member. But, we soon delve into the main subject of the show - uncles.

According to Hare, becoming a uncle is the best job he has ever done, and he speaks with a strong amount of pride for someone who had nothing to do with actually becoming an uncle in the first place - an irony that is never really said but is implied and played for laughs multiple times throughout the show. If you’re a fan of Crizards, the duo made up of Hare and Will Rowland, you’ll be pleased to know that there are some songs in this solo show, and Hare’s standup in general is full of the deadpan humour we’ve come to expect, including a bit dedicated to a chess app that has players going up against famous women like Jane Goodall.. 

A highlight of the show is when Hare talks about his different uncles, of which he has many, stating “I’ve come from a long line of uncles.” We are introduced to three - Ron, Portuguese and Monk (AKA “Monkle”), who all have some pretty great and unique traits that are perfect for a comedy show. Hare tells the audiences that he wants to become the best uncle ever. Another great bit has Hare having beef with a magician named Magic Steve at his niece’s birthday, another uncle-related event that has the audience laughing. But, when discussing potentially becoming a father himself, Hare quickly brushes the concept aside, hilariously claiming that his sister doesn’t have time to be an aunt and singing a song about not wanting to be a dad.

The ending is surprisingly heartwarming for a standup show, with Hare explaining his reasoning for making it, stating that he is recording it for his nieces and saying, “This is how I want you to remember me.” Along with the sweetness, there are also some raunchier bits, including one focused on a tattoo of a dragon on a man’s penis and exactly how it looked, with Hare questioning the anatomy of said dragon. 

Ultimately, Eddy Hare: This One’s On Me is a lovely and silly solo show about the joys of unclehood. “There is nothing like the laugh of a child,” as Hare claims, but there is also nothing like hearing a great amount of laughter for a solo debut. Hare has made a strong solo start and I look forward to seeing some more work from him in the future!

Eddy Hare: This One’s On Me ran until 25 August at Pleasance Courtyard - Cellar.

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